Wire-coupling



W. GERARD E J. E. LAWRENCE, WIRE '(UPLlNG.

(No Model.)

UNITED STATES PATENT Ormea.

.WALTER GERARD, OF ST. BERNARD, AND JOHN H. LAVRENCE, OF BOND HILL, OHIO.

WIRE-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 575,641, dated January 19, 1897'.

Application filed November 23, 1896. Serial No. 613,092. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern: and Figs. 5 and 6 are detail views of the lock- Be it known that we, WALTER GERARD, of ing-jaws. St. Bernard, and JOHN H. LAWRENCE,of Bond 7 is sleeve of suitable metal, which when Hill, Hamilton county, State of Ohio, citizens the device is used for uniting electrical wires 5 5 5 of the United States, have invented a certain should be also a good electrical conductor. new and useful Wire-Coupling; and we do de- This sleeve has two longitudinal bores 8 8, clare the following to be a clear, full, and eX- which ,start from each end inwardly and are act description of the invention, such as will centrally in line with each other.. The outer enable others skilled in the art to which it apopen ends of these bores correspond approXi- 6o 1o prtains to make and use the same, attention mately with the size of the wire, permitting being called to the accompanying drawings, easy entrance of the same, while toward their with the reference-numerals marked thereon, inner ends they widen out in one plane, as which form a part of this specication. best shown in Fig. l. The size of the other This invention relates to a device or coupdimension, that is, the one in a plane at right 65 15 ling intended to be used for the purpose of angles to the plane first mentioned, remains obtaining connection between the ends of two nearly the same as at the mouth, as best shown wires. These ends may be the ends of two in Fig. 11 and in dotted lines in Fig. 3. For different wires or they may be ends of a wire each bore there are provided two jaws 9 9, Separated by fracture or otherwise. serrated on their inner opposite faces, which 7c 2o The device is more particularly intended to are introduced through openings 10 10, and reestablish connection between two fractured are intended to hold between them one of the ends of a broken wire and, being constructed ends of the wires to be connected, as shown to permit such connection to be made rapidly at the right half of Fig. 1. In order to preand without the aid of any tool, it is emivent these jaws from dropping out of place 75 25 nently well adapted to serve as a coupling to and to hold them at the same time in a posireestablish connection, electrical as well as tion which permits the insertion and connecmechanical, between two fractured ends of tion of the wire ends in the proper manner, broken trolley-wires, as used with electricthey are connected to or form part of a spring railway systems. Most devices now used for 11, which is so shaped and bent as to hold 8o 3o such purpose require considerable time until them in the proper and requisite position and placed in position, which is very objectionas shown in the left part of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 able, owing to the interruption and extended shows also this spring and the tendency of its delay of travel. This objectionable feature action before insertion. is modiied by our construction in a manner The sizes of the two bores are equal where 85 3 5 that the time required to make the connection the coupling is used for reconnecting the is reduced to the lowest possible minimum. fractured ends of a broken wire; but it might In the following specification and particualso be used to connect the thicker to a thinlarly pointed out in the claims is found a full ner wire, in which case the size of the bores description of theinvention, its manner of use, would correspond to the different size of the 9o 4o parts, and construction, which latter is also wires.

illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in For connecting the ends of a broken wire whichthey are one of each introduced fully into Figure 1 isa longitudinal central section of one of the bores, as shown in Fig. 1, where the coupling, showing one of the wires, the wire 12 is shown while entering. During this 95 4 5 one to the right, in position, while the other inward movement it passes between the serwire is shown approachingasimilar condition rated surfaces of the two jaws and forces to complete the connection. Fig. 2 is an elethem apart, the spring readily permitting vation of the device, showing the connection such, but holding the jaws closely against completed. Fig. 3 is an elevation at right anthe wire. When in the nal position, as Ioo 5o gles to the one shown in the preceding figure. shown for the other wire 13, it pulls, by rea- Fig. 4 is a cross-section on line 4. 4. of Fig. 1, son. of the tension in the wires, against the sharp edges oi' the teeth and Causes the jaws to slide outwardly into the narrower part of the bore. The flat backs of the jaws come finally in contact with the converging walls 1-1 of the bores, whereby under the continuing pull the teeth are caused to dig or bite into the wire. The bur of met-al forced up in front of the teeth is sufficient to keep the wires in place.

In practice the sleeve is pushed on one of the wire ends, and then the sleeve with such end is brought opposite the other wire end, and the latter is pushed into the former. The nal connection after once in position is instantaneous, inasmuch as the jaws takehold as soon as the wire is let go and has with the jaws slid slightly outwardly into the narrower part of the bore. The aforesaid spring accelerates this act.

To obviate all delays and permit the manipulation to be performed as rapidly as possible, a stop by a division-wall 15 at the inner meeting ends of the bores is provided, which prevents the iirst wire from being pushed in too far or into the other bore.

As the pull of the wires imparts to the jaws a constant tendency to advance into the nar rowing part of the bore, it is evident that an increasing pull increases this tendency, whereby as a necessary consequence the teeth act with augmented pressure against the wires, making the connection only firmer.

The sleeve should be tapering toward its outer ends to facilitate passage oi' the trolleys.

There is hardly any appreciable wear on these couplings, and they may be recovered 'for reuse in case ever a line is taken down for any reason whatsoever. For such purpose the end of a wire is pushed inwardly toward wall 15, which may be readily done, since there is no strain on it then. This movement, being contrary to the action of the teeth and `and into the broader part of the bore, causes the engaging parts to yield readily and come apart. A pointed implement 16 is then introduced through an opening 1T, which latter is so located as to cause the point ot' the for mer to come down in front of the bight of :spring 11, and whereby this latter, with jaws 9, is prevented from following the wire end when the latter is now pulled out.

It is evident that one tooth on each jaw might, under certain conditions, be su 'licient 'to hold a wire in place, but we prefer a plural ity of them. It is also obvious that only one jaw might be used in a bore, provided one of the walls 14c is made straight, that is, parallel with the wire, and which would be simply using half of our arrangement. By using two jaws, however, one at each side of the wire, the strain and stress are equalized and the connection becomes firmer and more re liable.

llaving described our invention, we claim as new- 1. A wire-eoupling consisting substantially of a sleeve having two bores, one entering at each end and both centrally inline with each other, each of said bores being substantially of one dimension in one direction or plane while in the other they become wider, forming two walls 14 diverging toward the inner ends of the sleeve and two serrated jaws with ilat backs in each bore occujiying, when a wire end is introduced, the spaces at each side of the latter and between it and walls llt against which latter they lie with their flat backs.

2. Awire-coupling consisting substantially of a sleeve having two hores, one entering at each end and both centrally in line with each other, two serrated jaws in each bore held therein prior to their engagement with a wire end and in proper position for the purpose of enabling such engagement by spring-pressure and openings in the sleeve to permit introduction of these jaws.

3. A wire-couplin g consisting substantially of a sleeve having two bores, one entering at each end and both centrally in line with each other, each of said bores having two walls 14, converging toward the outer ends of the sleeve and two serrated jaws in each bore occupying, when a wire end is introduced, the spaces at each side oi the latter and 'between it and walls H, said jaws held in place prior to their engagement with a wire end and in proper position for the purpose of enabling such engagement by spring-pressure and openings in the sleeve to permit introduction of these jaws.

4. A wire-coupling consisting substantially of a sleeve having two bores, one entering at each end and both centrally in line with each other, each ot' said bores having two walls 14, converging toward the outer ends of the sleeve and two serrated jaws in each bore occupying, when a wire end is introduced, the spaces at each side of the latter' and between it and wallslt, said jaws connected to or forming part of a spring 11 whereby they are held in a position substantially parallel and with the teeth opposite each other.

5. A wire-coupling consisting substantially of a sleeve having two bores, one enteringat each end and both centrally in line with each other, each of said bores having two walls 14, converging toward the outer ends of the sleeve and two serrated jaws in each bore occupying, when a wire end is introduced, the spaces at each side of the latter, between it and the walls 14E and openings 17 near the inner ends of the bores for the purpose described.

In testimony whereol` we hereunto al'lix our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

WALTER GERARD. JOHN II. LAWRENCE. Witnesses:

C. SPENGEL, ARTHUR KLINE.

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